1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lawnmower/trimmer of novel design and which is less costly and more efficient than any similar device presently in existence. In particular, the present invention features, inter alia, positioning of all four wheels on the rear portion of the device and synchronization of two cutting elements to cut and trim the grass, weeds, etc.
2. General Background
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,709 issued to Lowry et al. and entitled "Carriage for a Grass Trimming Device" teaches the use of a wheeled platform with a centrally located aperture for receiving and supporting the lower portion of a housing for a grass trimming device so that the cutting element of the device will extend beneath the platform and the motor housing will extend above the platform. This invention differs in nearly every respect from the present invention.
First, the wheeled platform is different than the one of the present invention as it does not comprise a protective skirt around its perimetry towards the ground.
Secondly, the Lowry patent discloses a device with two pneumatic rubber wheels located at one end, and two wheels at the opposite end. One of the principal features of our invention is the dispositioning of all wheels toward the rear of the apparatus.
Thirdly, the entire Lowry apparatus has, as its primary purpose, the function of trimming grass close to objects that cannot be cut by the conventional power or hand mower (i.e. for trimming grass). The present invention is not limited to the trimming function, but rather performs both the mowing and trimming functions. The Lowry invention provides a fifth wheel for the carriage to be tilted to facilitate trimming along the edge of a lawn. The present invention accomplishes this same purpose much easier and much better. As seen in FIG. 3 of the Lowry patent, the fifth wheel protrudes at least a couple of inches from the side of the device and this greatly impedes the blade from even getting close to such things as fences, walls, etc. It also is a more expensive and cumbersome technique than our method. The present invention accomplishes the dual purpose of mowing and trimming with no additional attachments which are both cumbersome and costly.
The rest of the patents are merely representative of what is in the prior art.